


Shore Leave: Miranda

by cbrachyrhynchos



Series: Mass Effect 2: Shore Leave [2]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Mass Effect 2, Miranda Lawson - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-22
Updated: 2016-05-22
Packaged: 2018-06-10 02:27:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6934546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cbrachyrhynchos/pseuds/cbrachyrhynchos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Miranda hooks up with an old friend. (Warn: infertility)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shore Leave: Miranda

**Author's Note:**

> Written before ME3.

Thomas Ba, Trade Secretary for the Earth Alliance, slid into his limousine to find Miranda Lawson sitting opposite him. He observed she brought her own drink with her. 

“I hope you don’t mind, Thomas. I sent your intern home for the night.”

“It’s been a few years. Are you here on business Ms. Lawson?”

“Thomas, I left politics for science a while back, and I wouldn’t dream of interfering in your department. I just thought we could share a dinner and some conversation, between... old friends.”

Thomas grinned broadly, “Do you mind delivery to my hotel? I’ve not made the proper security arrangements to go out.”

“Of course, being photographed with you wouldn’t be prudent for me either." She watched while he gave directions to his driver. 

"How has Trade been treating you?” She asked.

“Honestly, it’s becoming more trouble than it’s worth. The Battle of the Citadel blasted the entire government into orbit and half the pieces haven't completely fallen yet. And since Lammarck was killed with a bomb last month, security’s been tight.”

“I heard about that,” Miranda poured herself a drink from the limo’s bar. 

“Do you know anything?”

“Other than we didn’t do it. Don’t give me that look Thomas, we’re not responsible for everything and Lammarck was a strong advocate of human interests. It doesn’t make sense to point the finger in our direction.”

“I didn’t think you were involved, but I’ve been watching my own back lately.”

“I understand, how is Molly?”

“She’s taking some time off to take care of Barry.” He pulled his wallet out of his pocket and opened it onto a photo of a three-year-old toddler. “We formalized the adoption just before I came out here. Both of his parents died at the Citadel.” He frowned, “sometimes I regret taking this job, I don’t get enough time with the kids as it is. Trade is better than the Parliament at least.”

“You’re a lucky man Thomas.”

“You’ve said that before, Miri.”

Miranda sat and looked out the window in silence, fingering her drink.

“You’ve grown more beautiful with age, and that’s saying something. When we first met, I thought you were a honeypot, a barely legal intern with an impossible master’s degree in economics. You had to be a trap because no one was that good. And when you did make the pitch, I didn’t believe it.”

“You thought I was placed to sexually seduce you,” Miranda said.

“Of course,” Thomas said.

“Actually, I was assigned as a honeypot, but I decided against it. A middle-aged man in politics whose open relationship is an open secret is a man unlikely to be vulnerable in that direction. I realized quickly that I’d get more loyalty by appealing to your politics than sex.”

“So you waited until a week after the election to jump me, after you turned down an offer to stay on my staff.”

Miranda leaned over and put a hand on his knee, “By that time I had your wife’s blessing for a good zipless fuck. And the organization was moving me on. Not that I wasn’t tempted by your offer.” She bit her lower lip and turned away. “Thomas, you’re a great friend, who knows how to show a woman a wonderful time. And I need a night that’s not connected to business.”

“It would be my honor Miri. Besides, Samantha, the intern you probably scared the shit out of, doesn’t do opera and I have this season’s Rosenkavalier if you’re interested.”

Once in the room, he ordered room service, remembering her tastes well, then excused himself for a quick audio call home. She pretended to watch the news while she eavesdropped on conversations with three children and his wife. “You wouldn’t guess who I ran into today, Miranda Lawson.” He said. “Yeah, we’re catching up.”

The food, while not four-star quality, was a welcome break from the experimental cuisine of the Normandy. They avoided talking about family or work, focusing instead on news, events, and old times. They called housekeeping to pick up the dishes, and retired to the couch to watch the opera. They stopped watching midway through the first act, moving from couch, to chair, to floor, and finally the bed before they were both spent. 

“Thomas,” she said running her fingers over the close-cropped curls on his scalp. “How did Molly deal with it when she found out?”

“Relieved mostly, and it’s not like we ever were strictly monogamous.”

“No, about your infertility.”

He turned away from her and sat for a long moment. “We argued, and fought, and separated for almost a year. We did some heavy counseling, and then decided to adopt. And I try not to think about it much. Why do you ask?”

“Thomas, I had to get some surgery last year, and the doctors say that I could never have children. Worse, it might be the side effect of some... experimental treatment I was given as a child.”

“Miri, I’m sorry. I, it does get better. Not right away because I took a ton of alcohol, prayer, and counseling in about that order to come to terms with it. But it does get better.”

“Does it? And I don’t know, perhaps I’m just wanting too much. Perhaps it’s a weird sort of sign. It’s not like my career offers much in the way of stability and I might not even be around in a year. Having children might be a very bad idea.”

“Miri, what do you mean?”

“Thomas,” Miranda bit her lip. “Something big might happen soon. If it does, be prepared to run. Get your family away from Earth if you can. You’re a good friend but I can’t trust you with more than that. I’ve already said too much. You know how it is.”

She stretched, slightly chilled by her sweat in the climate-controlled room. “Damn it, this wasn’t supposed to be about work. Thank you Thomas, I don’t have many friends outside of the organization.”

“Well, since you brought up work, there is something I’m interested in,” Thomas easily slipped behind her and was doing interesting things to her shoulders. She felt his lips smile against her skin. “You still know that trick with the biotic fields?”

“Thomas, I’ve learned a whole new set of tricks. I hope this hotel doesn’t have rationed water, this might take a while.”

“It does but I can afford the luxury,” he said, knowing he’d regret it when the bill came.


End file.
